Articles

Think Like Your Customer

Submitted by Linda Ockwell-Jenner on November 24, 2016 - 1:06am

I have been in business over 16 years and if it's one thing I know for sure, its the fact that not everyone can be your target market. When I started my first business, Motivational Steps, all those years ago I instinctively knew this fact and I carefully planned my goals, and I researched what I wanted to be my ideal target market.

The Cost of Acquiring Clients

Submitted by Steve Bentley, ... on November 22, 2016 - 9:56pm

Every business should look at its cost of customer acquisition. The old business adage goes, "You can't manage what you don't measure." Yet we fail to measure these costs. We seldom take the time to see how effective our marketing was. A poor return on investment can have a variety of causes.

SBCN Celebrates 13th Birthday Anniversary November 2017

Energy Savings with Home Control

Submitted by Nathan Parsons on October 26, 2016 - 10:33am

Energy savings is certainly a hot topic right now. With the cost of hydro rising rapidly, everyone is concerned with cutting energy costs and saving money. Most people know about the simple fixes such as unplugging electronic devices when not in use and replacing your incandescent lamps with energy efficient LED lamps. These simple fixes are a great start, but if you are ready to take your energy savings to the next level, home control could be the answer.

Making Small Businesses Appear Bigger

Submitted by Steve Bentley, ... on October 25, 2016 - 1:53pm

Competing with larger businesses can sometimes be a challenge for small business owners. This is echoed by a lot of small businesses that I have mentored. Its hard enough to get a foothold in this industry never mind having to compete against large businesses with deeper pockets.

Coincidences Can Lead to Great Opportunities

We often fail to listen to our instincts, our intuition and our innerselves. Maybe because we are too busy to be in the here and now, but we lose many opportunities this way.

In my newest blog post I talk about how one particular coincidence let me to my wonderful new life in Canada. My intution is strong and I ask many questions, I am inquisitive and this has meant success, love and happiness in my life.

Effective and Affordable Business Continuity

Submitted by Chris Davis on October 7, 2016 - 6:18am

♦ When was the last time you reviewed your company’s continuity plan? ♦ How will you process orders if your online shop goes down? ♦ What work-around will you adopt if your email app quits and you can’t connect with customers? ♦ What if you can’t access your customer database because the server is down or your power is out?

Small Business Community Network (SBCN)

Submitted by Linda Ockwell-Jenner on September 14, 2016 - 7:21pm

The Small Business Community Network (SBCN) was co-founded in 2003 by Dave Ockwell-Jenner and Linda Ockwell-Jenner.

We are the Small Business Community Network (SBCN)—your connection to the small business community. We're committed to building strong business communities and connecting the key people within them. Connecting, collaborating and consistently working together builds a stronger economy.

Tax Efficient Student Education Expenses

Submitted by Steve Bentley, ... on September 12, 2016 - 4:58pm

It's hard to believe that summer is over and September has arrived. It means we need to change our focus from beaches to books. One of the biggest issues for our older children may be their post secondary choice of study.